captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I have been lurking these forums for a month or so and finally got my own shisha two days ago. Two days in and I've already improved my smoking experience (in terms of flavour, smoke thickness etc). Just wanted to say a big thanks for posting your little tricks, like putting ice in the base. Also, if anyone needs any lifting/dieting advice you can pm me anytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Glad we could help! Not sure where you saw to put ice in your vase, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 [quote name='Chreees' timestamp='1355444751' post='564942'] Glad we could help! Not sure where you saw to put ice in your vase, though. [/quote] It was in one of the threads here, I'll try and find it. You don't think it's a good idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 DIY thread, said he got more smoke from it, no change to the flavor apparently... but everyone does that at some point, after mastering his packing and stuff im sure hes gonna stop too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Ice chills it a lot making flavor lack if you want really helpful tips and tricks try having people here teach you heat management and how to pack a bowl the best way. Then see how it improves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I just think a lot of people use it when starting out because it helps relieve harshness from not using proper heat management. Once you get more of a hang of it, I'm sure you'll fall out of doing it. I too found it decreases flavor. In fact, I always use room temp or even lukewarm water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 What's a good thread to start mastering heat management and packing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 rofl nvm, just looked at chrees sig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 depends on what bowl and tobacco youre using, if you specify here we can describe to our best ability and then there are also videos and pictures in several threads, dont have any saved myself tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 keep in mind heat management is different with every bowl, gotta do some experimentation every time you get a different one to find the "sweet spot" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 the bowl is an egyptian bowl and the tobacco is AF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 get it in fluffy (kinda sprinkle it in, just a bit above the edge, push it down to be level with the rim, foil it tight, many small holes. What coals you using? Thats generally pretty good for AF, though sometimes I pack it tight and its just as good, depends on the flavor a bit too... as I said best learning tool is experimentation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 Alright you might shake your head at this question, but what are the major differences youve found when you pack it tightly or 'fluffy'? How would that change my experience? flavour is double apple and coals are coconaras. I read that less holes gives more smoke, your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Check out this thread: [url="http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/40373-beginners-guide-to-hookah/"]http://www.hookahfor...uide-to-hookah/[/url] Some brands are better packed tight, whereas some are better packed fluffy. Al Fakher you'll want to do pretty fluffy, all the way up to the rim, with a good amount of holes (like pictured in the thread linked above). Don't worry about the tobacco touching the foil. Pack it all the way to the top. Common thing is people don't pack enough in fear of burning the tobacco, when this really isn't the case. Don't leave a gap. Start coals on the edge, and work them in as you smoke. Make sure to blow through the bottom to ensure good airflow. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 a lot of small holes is my preferred way for AF cause it could get harsh if it gets too hot, small holes make it less likely to overheat, a lot of holes is good for airflow, with double apple I like to go a bit denser than most flavors cause that gives me the intense sweetness that I like to get in DA, but go too tight and its murder for the tastebuds... I usually get it in the bowl lightly, about a centimeter over the edge, then flatten it level with the rim of the bowl and poke lots of small ish holes, I do a circular pattern when I poke holes and do a bunch of circles, like 5 or so moving inwards. But again I cant stress this enough: try my way, then play with it a bit on your next pack and so on, see what you find suits you best... Smoking hookah is all about personal preference 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 Thanks a lot guys, really do appreciate your help. I won't get to try this out till a few days, but I can't wait till then! After a while I want to start experimenting with combination of flavours, what you recommend with AF double apple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 [quote name='captainlulz' timestamp='1355446532' post='564957'] Thanks a lot guys, really do appreciate your help. I won't get to try this out till a few days, but I can't wait till then! After a while I want to start experimenting with combination of flavours, what you recommend with AF double apple? [/quote] Mint will go well with that AF DA. Also, follow Bawhee's advice... good shit right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Im just smoking AF DA with nakhla orange, otherwise I dont really mix it, its kinda overpowering, tho I do like adding mint to just about anything, what I like to do is try getting both tobaccos im thinking of mixing close to my nose together and inhaling pretty deep, gives you an approximate feel for the aroma... sometimes its totally different after tho Also, you still havent said what coals you use, that matters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 I will follow the advice you have both given me, the only difference in what I have done is: i've tried double layering the foil, so foil over the tobacoo then foil over the foil and then placing the coals on. I haven't made any patterns with the holes, just four holes like the points of a compass and then small holes randomly. I place the coles on any of the four major holes. I usually use 2-3 coals at one time. And of course placed ice in the base. The coals I have are coconaras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bawhee Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 (edited) Right, hole pattern is another personal preference thing, I just like doing circles as for coconut coals I cant really tell you much cause I dont use them, the one time I did have them I also used 3 and it was good but that was with nakhla, with AF you might wanna try 2 and add a third if its not smoking well, though Im really no expert on coco coals. I used to double layer my foil, helps to make heat management easier when starting out, though once you get it down one layer should be enough, get some thick foil though, not just the thinnest cheapest one. EDIT: the majority of the people here use Reynolds heavy duty foil ( I think its something like that), not available in Slovenia so I use some slightly thicker kitchen foil and it works just fine with one layer) Edited December 14, 2012 by Bawhee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 Bawhee thanks heaps mate! Great source of information tbh, be prepared for many more questions to come from me (hopefully you will answer them ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Alright guys, I think I've got heat management and packing under control. Smoke is coming out nice and thick and the shisha isn't harsh. I've come across another problem though, I get little to no flavour!! I'm using AF double apple and coconara coals, I'm smoking my shisha right now and it's great but not enough flavour for my liking. I squezzed some lemon into the bowl and I can taste it a little bit. Not sure if that's a noob thing to do, I have no idea how to increase the flavour! btw you guys were right, ice killed the flavour so I stopped doing that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuckthatvincekid Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Flavor definitely varies from person to person, but DA is usually pretty strong, so I'm not sure what would cause that. It COULD be a bad batch? Just try some other flavors and see what happens I suppose. I personally advise against adding things like lemon juice into the bowl, my personal belief is you should be mixing shisha to achieve a flavor combo that pleases you. YESSS ice kills flavor, another person sees the light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 no flavor could be the product of a minor underpack, no flavor but clouds and no harshness? sounds like it to me, try packing it just a little bit tighter and see if that works, also Lemon? what? that makes no sense as to how it would help get the flavor back.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainlulz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Yeah ice is the devil I've tried packing it tighter, it just makes it really hard to start and it starts off way too harsh. I've gone from packing it very tightly, as in pushing all the tobacco down with my finger and putting my in etc. to tightly, to fluffy packing. fluffy packing seems to last the longest and is the most consistent, it also never gets harsh and i get the most smoke out of it. I'm worried that I'll have to have a trade off between smoke and flavour. Also, I read somewhere on here that lemon adds flavour. As you can see I'm trying anything and everything. I did taste the lemon flavour tho, it was actually nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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